Holy Family with Saint Francis Mazzola Bedoli 1535

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The Holy Family with Saint Francis of Assisi, by Girolamo Mazzola Bedoli (1532–1535), oil on wood

In this luminous nocturnal vision, Saint Francis gazes upward toward the Holy Family, absorbed in an intimate moment of contemplation. Holding the Holy Scriptures and the cross, he appears quietly devoted, his attention fixed on the Blessed Virgin and the Christ Child. The darkness surrounding the figures heightens the sense of revelation, as if the scene unfolds not in physical space, but within Francis’s prayer itself.

The Virgin Mary is portrayed with refined elegance and unusual tenderness. She wears a flowing satin dress in pale pink, secured by delicate golden cords that fall from her waist, while a deep royal-blue shawl cascades softly behind her back. Her fair complexion harmonizes with her garments, and her strawberry-toned, gently wavy hair — pulled back yet still natural — lends her a youthful, human presence. A small ring adorns her pinky finger as she gestures toward the sacred text held by Saint Francis, subtly directing his devotion toward the Word.

The Christ Child appears in motion, as if descending from his mother’s lap. His right hand still rests upon Mary’s leg, anchoring him to her, while his left reaches toward a cluster of ripe grapes — a quiet prefiguration of the Eucharist and Christ’s future sacrifice. This tender movement brings life and immediacy to the vision, bridging heaven and earth through gesture alone.

Behind them, an elderly Saint Joseph stands in gentle reserve. Turning slightly away, he reaches toward Mary’s hair and ear in a gesture that feels both protective and deeply human. Bedoli’s composition balances grace and intimacy, offering not a distant, triumphant vision, but a quiet encounter — one where Francis’s loving gaze mirrors the viewer’s own, inviting us into a moment of reverent stillness and contemplation. 

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